Mark Ruffalo Joins Scarlett Johansson In John Carney’s ‘Can A Song Save Your Life?’ Produced By Judd Apatow

Mark Ruffalo Joins Scarlett Johansson In John Carney's 'Can A Song Save Your Life?' Produced By Judd Apatow

“Avengers assemble!” Okay, not quite, but it looks Black Widow and The Incredible Hulk are going to get their own spinoff (but not really).

Mark Ruffalo has joined Scarlett Johnansson in “Once” director John Carney‘s “Can A Song Save Your Life?.” First bubbling up last summer, the project was initially eyeing Ruffalo and Jim Carrey as potential leads, but has thankfully now settled on the former. Written by Carney as well, this is another promising music-centered film that followsGretta (Johansson) who moves with her long-time boyfriend to New York so they can pursue their passion for music. She’s heartbroken when he dumps her for the fame and fortune of a big solo contract, leaving Gretta all on her own. Her world takes a turn for the better when a down-on-his-luck record producer (Ruffalo) stumbles upon her singing in a local bar and is immediately captivated by her raw talent and inspiring authenticity — they may be each other’s last chance to turn their lives around.

Judd Apatow is lending his producing powers to the project, so we’ll be curious to see if any of his regular stable of actors will round out supporting roles. And it’s probably a no brainer that ScarJo will do her own singing in the picture. She has already dropped Anywhere I Lay My Head, an album of Tom Waits covers, collaborated with Pete Yorn on his album Break Up, and lent her voice to the soundtracks of “Wretches & Jabberers” as well as “Days Of Grace.”

Exclusive Media Group are producing and financing the project, which last we heard has a small, $10 million budget. Filming will get underway in June, and rights will be up for grabs at the European Film Market. But all told, this project is off to a solid start with two great leads, a director who knows this territory well, and an ace producer to back them up. We’re looking forward to it.